Memory of Carl Townsend honored at Fourth Annual Golf Tournament

MALDEN, Mo. - Board members of the Carl Townsend scholarship and Malden’s Beta Club help put together the fourth annual Carl Townsend golf tournament on the morning of Monday, Sep. 23.

The tournament was a three-person scramble put on to honor the memory of former Malden educator Carl Townsend, who passed away in 2020.

Townsend was born one of 11 siblings in Fisk, Mo. He served in the U.S. Air Force before enrolling and graduating from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Upon graduating, Townsend began coaching and teaching at St. Mary’s High School before moving to the Bootheel and became the Principal at Malden High School.

It was at Malden where Townsend finished out his educational career as the Superintendent of Malden School District.

Along with his role as an educator, Townsend was the number one rated basketball official in the state of Missouri, as voted upon by Missouri basketball coaches. He earned the MSHSAA Lifetime Achievement Award and was presented with the award in Columbia, Mo. at Hearns Field House where he would officiate numerous State Championship games.

To honor his legacy and imprint on the Malden community, The Carl Townsend Memorial Scholarship was created to help two students from Malden High School each year continue their post-secondary education. 

The Scholarship was put together by a board which includes Carl Townsend son, Carl Townsend Jr. Each student, if selected, will receive a $2,000 scholarship which is helped funded by the Annual Carl Townsend Memorial Golf Tournament.

“I am thankful for everyone coming out,” Carl Jr. said. “It means a lot to my mom and my family to keep dad’s memory alive. We know how important education was to my father, so we give two $2,000 scholarships away each year. We have the chance to give over 20 scholarships away in the next few years and it’s all due to everyone showing up.”

The tournament featured three donor levels to help fund the scholarships.

Level one is $100 and includes a tee sign which will be placed on the course during the tournament. Level two will cost $200 and gives a three-person team entry into the tournament. The final level, level three, is worth $300 and gives both features of level one and two. Level three donors will receive a tee sign and a three-person team entry. All the money raised goes towards the scholarship fund.

Along with donors, the tournament also had 28 different sponsors. This includes FM Bank and First State Community Bank who were corporate sponsors this year.

Ashley McMillian and her team took first place at the conclusion of the tournament. Her team included Chad Wooldridge and Chris Cohen and they received $400 for their first place finished.

Second place was Chris Owen and his team who recieved $200.

Wes Shelton, who also serves on the board for the Carl Townsend Memorial Scholarship, is happy to honor his friend and lifelong mentor through the works of this golf tournament and the scholarship it produces.

“Our purpose is to honor his legacy as a former principal and superintendent of Malden school system,” Shelton said. “I knew him as a student,as a friend and as a mentor. He was an outstanding educator, mentor and community leader. He was a church leader and a wonderful father. He was always looking out for those in need.”